Upgrade order list for my Audi

"Desu-San-Desu" (Desu-San-Desu) 10/17/2013 at 23:21 • Filed to: None

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Here's the planned progression for Herr Wilhelm Elric Quattro III. I plan on accomplishing this over a 2-year span. My goal is to keep it as a daily driver with occasional track and autocross duties and a bit of sleeper status. Main thing is I want it to be fun and reliable. Any thoughts? Adjustments to the order? Things to delete? Things to add?

The car in question:

Upgrade & Modification order (repairs/maintenance and upgraded repair parts in italics):

- Tires

- Tie rod and alignment

-Timing belt and cam seal

-Full fluid flush and oil change with K&N oil filter

-Sportrack roof rack with Thule wind fairing

- Brake pads, rotors, stainless steel brake lines

- Bilstein shocks and H&R springs (1.25" drop. Already measured and it won't rub)

- Suspension bushings all around

- Stage 2 clutch and lightweight flywheel

- OEM fog lights

-Relocate aftermarket fog lights to lower grill

-Weathertech wind and rain shields for front and rear windows (compatible with roof rack)

-Rally armor mudflaps

-272 performance camshaft and lifter guide set

-034 Motorsports E.F.I. conversion and injector kit

-Performance fuel pump

-Stainless steel fuel lines

-NGK plugs, wires, and distributor

-034 motorsports performance header and Borla dual-outlet 3" catback exhaust system

-K&N Series 77 cold air intake system

-01A short throw kit

- Underbody skid plates for engine, differential, and fuel pump

-Sport 5-point seats for front in Audi competition colors (grey, black, and maroon)

-Reupholster rear seats to match fronts

- Headliner in Audi competition grey

-Interior pillar trim

-Smaller-diameter performance steering wheel

-Minor dent repair for ding on hood and driver's door

-Complete sandblast and repaint for car and wheels (same color as they are now)

-Center caps for wheels

-Finishing touches on electrical niggles

- Better sound system

Farther down the line:

( These are for when I'm more financially free, as the initial list is already going to run me approximately $7k altogether for a car that was essentially free, haha.)

-Porsche dual-piston caliper brake conversion/upgrade (requires some minor fabrication)

-Coilover suspension conversion (kit exists, but requires some minor fabrication)

-Wavetrac limited-slip rear differential (suggested by !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

-Engine rebuild with performance bearings, piston heads, valves, lifters, etc.

-Electrical wiring re-loom

-Replace all mounts and remaining bushings

-Eaton supercharger and ECU upgrade (will work. I've looked into it quite a bit. I can get ProTech motorsports to do the install and tune for me). Goal is to approach as close as I can to 300whp without compromising reliability. I'd like Subaru WRX STi level power, which should be more than enough for me since my Audi weighs just under 3,000lbs.

So Oppo....what say ye? Sound like a good plan?

YSI-what can brown do for you > Desu-San-Desu 10/17/2013 at 23:23

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Instead of a supercharger you should go turbocharged. It is my opinion but then you will have a quattro rally car!

Desu-San-Desu > YSI-what can brown do for you 10/17/2013 at 23:30

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Turbochargers don't suit my driving style. I don't like winding my car high into the rev range. I prefer low-end power with lots of throttle response. Everyone and their cousin tries to convince me to turbocharge the car instead and I'm just like "but...I won't like that as much...". And what's the point of an upgrade if it doesn't make me thoroughly happy in all regards?

I'm not out to build absurd power levels. I'm out to make the car mine according to my preferences and driving style. I just happen to be a supercharger kind of guy. :-)

For Sweden > Desu-San-Desu 10/17/2013 at 23:32

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Sounds like a lot of work work.

Desu-San-Desu > For Sweden 10/17/2013 at 23:32

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European humor makes my head hurt...

YSI-what can brown do for you > Desu-San-Desu 10/17/2013 at 23:35

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Hey man it is all up to you. I generally like NA power. If I was in your spot, I would try and make as much power as I could without FI. Although, you won't get as much power as a supercharger. Anyway, what I am trying to say is. Your car you do what you must! Just do it right!

Desu-San-Desu > YSI-what can brown do for you 10/17/2013 at 23:39

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Engine rebuild and EFI conversion are meant to do just that. :-)

The supercharger option is there because I am addicted to the whine of a supercharger and there's a twin-screw supercharger-sized empty space in my engine bay that is just begging to be filled, haha.

Doug DeMuro > Desu-San-Desu 10/17/2013 at 23:42

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I don't know much about mods, but it's nice to see someone appreciating one of these still. Especially in the South, where they basically don't exist. Still a very handsome car. Enjoy it!

NinetyQ > Desu-San-Desu 10/17/2013 at 23:44

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For your car, I'll be brutally honest: I think you're insane to do that much work to an 80 without swapping the engine for a 3B or something. I wouldn't advocate the 7A just because it's not worth the 30 hp increase, but I'd definitely upgrade to a stronger engine before worrying about all that stuff. Not that it's a budget-friendly modification really. Apart from that, your stuff sounds pretty logical.

For my own (pictured in the way I usually see it), as you probably know, it has pretty much never been reliable for more than a month for me. There have always been issues. Right now, I'm coming to the tail end of them, but it's still putting up a fight. I need to replace the rear calipers, front pads, rotors, and strut mounts. Then exhaust with the early 7A bag o' snakes headers, which will be my first upgrade that doesn't necessarily fix much of anything other than some exhaust leaks here and there.

I think from there, I'll just take my time to enjoy my car and then decide where I want to go with it, if anywhere. There are still things that need taken care of, including plenty of rusty bits. I could probably use new hubs and wheel bearings in the rear, as well as at least one ABS sensor that's likely bad (or another weirdly non-existent tone ring). I also need to figure out why my rear diff doesn't lock, fix the odometer (I have the gear for it somewhere), maybe fix the climate control, and some other minor stuff. I don't foresee myself turning it into a rally or track beast, but it would be incredibly fun.

Desu-San-Desu > NinetyQ 10/17/2013 at 23:52

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As silly as it sounds, that's just one line I'm not willing to cross. The idea of swapping the motor leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. I think that swapping the motor would essentially make the car no longer my 80Q. It just somehow feels like I'd be betraying the car and tarnishing the purity of it. I played with the idea, true, and if I ever blew this motor, I'd probably go that route. But until that day comes, I feel like sticking with the 2.3L NG is the right thing to do.

Also, the 2.3L 10v has a really unique sound, almost like the Boxer Burble in a Subaru, and I just love that about it. It just has so much damned character.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Desu-San-Desu 10/17/2013 at 23:56

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Omnomnom twinscrew.

NinetyQ > Desu-San-Desu 10/17/2013 at 23:59

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Yeah, right now if there's one thing I criticize my own motor for now that it has its fresh injectors, it's that it's so freakin' smooth. It still sounds great, don't get me wrong, but I'm hoping the bag o' snakes lends a bit more of an exotic sound and a heap of character. I've heard good things about the upgrade.

Back to the engine swap debate, I know what you mean about staying true to it. Although I kind of feel that modifying the NG as much as you're planning will make it practically not the same either. If you stuck with an Audi five-pot, you'd still have that aspect, plus it would be more stock. I don't know what I would do, honestly. The thought of increasing the power hasn't really come to mind. I love the high-rpm surge in mine. It has sufficient power at lower RPMs, but rev it high and it really comes to life. I love it. I know it's not your cup of tea though.

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > Desu-San-Desu 10/18/2013 at 00:02

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Please use your Thule rack for its intended purpose, other than that good luck on your quest.

Desu-San-Desu > NinetyQ 10/18/2013 at 00:08

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Yeah, the 10V surges more in the mid-range with which suits my driving style much better. I drove a 20V that a friend has and I just didn't like how high I had to rev it to find the power. Not really my cup of tea. As far as powerbands go, the 10V syncs very well with me and I plan on keeping the powerband the same overall shape as I build power.

As for building up the existing engine instead, that's all about customization. That way I get to custom-tune the build to keep the character of the engine while increasing its capabilities. It's silly and stubborn, I know, but it's what my heart insists is the way to go.

Desu-San-Desu > GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo 10/18/2013 at 00:11

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The rear seats don't fold down, as there is a rear firewall and chassis brace behind them, so the roof rack is actually intended to be used for its actual purpose, as I sometimes want to carry items that wont fit in the trunk or back seat. No worries there. :-)

oppositecoast > Desu-San-Desu 10/18/2013 at 00:11

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A roof rack with a wind fairing? Have you gone hipster?

Desu-San-Desu > oppositecoast 10/18/2013 at 00:15

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Nope, I plan on actually using my roof rack, lol. Why? Because my rear seats don't fold down and the trunk is tiny, haha. The wind fairing is for actual aerodynamics.

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > Desu-San-Desu 10/18/2013 at 00:15

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Good, it's about time I see one on a cool car getting put to good use!

Desu-San-Desu > Doug DeMuro 10/18/2013 at 00:51

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Thanks!

Yeah, one of the reasons I love this car so much is because I never see another one on the road. I've seen a B3 wagon and a non-quattro 80 cabriolet, but that's it. So far as I know, mine is the only B3 80Q sedan on the road in upstate S.C. and that just makes me feel all kinds of awesome. :-D

Textured Soy Protein > Desu-San-Desu 10/18/2013 at 00:57

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You want a Wavetrac rear LSD.

http://store.034motorsport.com/wavetrac-limit…

Desu-San-Desu > Textured Soy Protein 10/18/2013 at 01:04

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Oh hell yes! Thanks for the advice! Pricey, but oh-so-worth it, assuming I can afford it at some point. Adding it to the second list.